Minato's current status:

Scanning…

…

Subject whereabouts: unknown.

Attribution: Changes imminent

Strong fluctuation of internal conflictions detected.

Chapter 25: Flying Close to the Sun.

-27/02 : 8am-
-Yukiko's guest room.-

As Seta awoke, his sleepy eyes slowly opened to feel the gentle sprinkle of sunshine warming him from a nearby window.

A cool sea breeze blew in from the morning sky.

Aside from the pleasant chirping of song birds outside, the only other sound Seta heard was of a running shower-head from the bathroom nearby.

Seta was just about to continue dozing off in the relaxing environment a little longer, when suddenly, a gentle knock sounded by the door.

[Knock knock]

…!?

This wasn't good.

Explaining his current situation may have proved difficult.

In a whisper came Chie's voice from behind the door.

Suddenly the shower turned off and in a frantic rustling movement, Yukiko hastily came out, still partially dripping wet in a bath towel.

She gasped upon being seen by Seta which instantly alarmed Chie.

"Yukiko! What's wrong? Are you alright? I'm coming in…" Chie stated in a worrying tone.

"No wait!" Yukiko called out desperately. "I-I'm still changing… Just a second."

"Oh it's alright, I won't look… I just need to talk to you about something. I'm coming inside with my eyes closed, alright?"

Chie's about to enter. Yukiko turns to you with a distressed complexion. What will you do?

-Hide in the cabinet
(Success)

-Hide under the bed
(Success)

-Hide under the bed sheets.
(Failure)

"Wait," Yukiko whispered to Seta in mild distress as he carelessly threw bed sheets over himself. "Chie will see your outline… Oh never mind, just squeeze in next to me then, alright?"

As Seta tightened his position, Yukiko got onto the bed, pulling the sheets over Seta and covering herself with it waist down.

In a rather uncomfortable position, Seta didn't know whether to find the predicament fortunate or not.

Just inches away from his face were Yukiko's smooth legs letting off the faintest of steam.

Chie finally came through the door and began talking.

"Huh? You're not going to change?" Chie questioned.

"Chie… You said you were coming in with your eyes closed!" Yukiko retorted.

"Huh? You're acting weird… You didn't care at the hot springs." Chie said with a confused look.

Yukiko began to flush red as a slight rustle occurred under the sheets.

"Anyway, listen…" Chie began again, turning a little more serious. "Yukari's fully recovered now and Fuuka said that she wants to speak to you, alone! Weird, huh?" Chie pondered while folding her arms.

Seta and Yukiko both instantly fell surprised too.

Chie came closer to the bed to Yukiko's worry.

Defensively, Yukiko inched even closer to Seta to make the bed's outline look a little more natural.

Seta's head was bumped by the softness of her lap.

Yukiko almost began laughing from the ticklish sensation.

Chie caught on quickly.

"Huh? Yukiko? Are your legs really that long?" She asked as she looked at the odd outline along the covers.

Chie poked the figure at the edge of the bed to which Seta reacted.

"And… What happened to your voice?" Chie said with a distorted face.

Instantly realizing something was odd, with a skeptical glance she raised a brow and pulled off the covers.

"Seta!" Chie loudly exclaimed.

"Shh!" Yukiko frantically pleaded her to keep quiet.

"What are you two thinking!?" Chie yelled under her breath like a scolding guardian.

Though shocked, Chie still managed to lower her voice to a hush.

"Do you two have any idea how much trouble you would have caused if it was Mitsuru who came in here!? I know you two are dating but, sheesh! Animals… The two of you… REALLY!"

Yukiko looks ashamed as she shivers slightly from the cold of being yet to pat herself dry. Perhaps you should speak up…

-Apologize. (Understanding up)

-Say you did nothing wrong. (Expression up)

-Deny the whole thing. (Chie R.P down 4, Yukiko R.P down 1)

Seta removed the blanket which was over him and carefully wrapped Yukiko's full body with it to warm her.

She smiled gratefully as he voiced his stance to Chie. "Yukiko shouldn't be blamed for anything… You might be jumping to conclusions."

"Yeah but… Oh fine! I'll let it slide this time. I suppose it is good to see you two have sorted out whatever argument you had earlier," Chie said with a weak yet sympathetic smile.

Chie suddenly looked to have remembered something important.

"Oh, and Seta! Akihiko and Mitsuru have been arguing this entire morning with some suited men. It seems they're planning a boxing match despite what happened in the city… It seems like they've found a way to hold the match but also protect him from a full-scale interrogation… But something about it all seems odd to me. I can't shake this bad feeling… You know?"

Yukiko looked troubled from what she heard. "Let's go ask Mitsuru-san what the situation is clearly. I'm sure she will explain it to us if we ask nicely. Besides I think we should have a say too if there's risk of exposing Seta to the public too… Oh and what about Yukari? Did she say what she wanted from me?"

Chie shook her head, "No, but she's fine now… She recovered quite a while ago but wasn't feeling too social until now. Apparently she and Chihiro had a bit of a tense moment earlier this morning…"

"About what?" Yukiko asked.

"Not sure, it wasn't a comfortable topic…"

For a brief moment the two girls looked a little excited from having something to gossip over when Seta cleared his throat to politely remind them they were getting distracted.

Chie returned to her original trail of thought, "A-Anyway, Yukiko, you should see Yukari before ten a.m. I'm meeting Mitsuru around ten so come with me then. We can discuss going to the match or not then."

"Is everyone else going?" Yukiko checked.

"At this stage everyone except for Aigis… Stupid Yosuke just had to go and for some reason Rise came to me this morning a little upset saying she was going today as well."

"What happened to Rise?" Yukiko asked in concern.

Chie shrugged. "I don't know… She looked upset though. I'll go ask her when you go see Yukari."

Chie then turned to Seta before continuing,

"If Akihiko's actually found a way to cover for you, Seta, maybe we should all just go… To be honest, it might be fun to see a championship fight!"

Chie's inner martial arts fanatic seemed to be taking interest in boxing. "Oh, and Seta… Maybe you should go ask Akihiko about-"

Chie fell silent when the three of them noticed another voice come from outside the room.

"Um… Yukiko-san, could I have a moment?" It was Chihiro's voice calling out to them.

Alarmed, Chie covered for Yukiko.

"Er… Yukiko's feeling a bit sick, can I help you instead?"

As Chie got up and left the room, Yukiko rushed over to close the door behind her once the voices faded into the distance.

With her back to the now closed door, Yukiko sighed and bowed her head.

Unaware as she did so, Yukiko's long wet strands of black hair fell before her face while she was still wrapped by drape-like white linen.

Seta suddenly broke into a sweat of uneasiness.

Yukiko caught his fearful expression and let leak a cheeky grin.

"I look like an old spirit right? With the long black hair that covers the ghost's face. It used to scare my mother all the time back at the inn! Wait a second... You're not scared, are you?" She asks you with a raised brow.

- Say you're not afraid

- Say she still looks good

- Back away slowly

Yukiko playfully began to walk forward with two raised arms before her.

Seta felt a chill travel down his spine as he fell back onto the bed and edged further backwards.

As she drew near resembling a classic Onryo, she began to crawl ominously across the bed, making her way over him in creeping movements.

Upon reaching him, it was only as she hovered an inch above Seta that he heard her struggle to hold back laughter before breaking out loudly.

Struggling to speak through her hysteria, she teased, "Y-You should see your… Hahaha… Face! You're terrified!"

Seta eased his stress and sank back into mattress…

Yukiko still laughing uncontrollable collapsed onto his chest as he dismissively threw his arms to his sides with a deep sigh;

Closing his eyes from the rosewater fragrance coming from her soft damp hair which cooled his neck as it fell over him, he shook his head at his rather goofy partner.

And yet, while Yukiko failed to notice as she faced the other way, Seta aimed his faint smile with an unspoken fondness that he had only ever let fall over her.

-Out in the lobby-

When Yukiko got dressed to go and see Yukari, Seta went his separate way to see Akihiko.

Seta made his way over to the ground floor to find the suited men from yesterday were only just leaving the room.

Just as the main front doors closed behind them on their way out, Mitsuru and Akihiko broke into a verbal feud.

"I can't let this go ahead, Akihiko!" Mitsuru protested.

"And why not? Just how long do you think we could keep this up, Mitsuru? You want to stay in hiding forever?" Akihiko argued.

"No… but I-" Mitsuru looked offended.

"We have to go back out there at some stage; show the world we can be normal citizens just like the promoter said! If they can do what they promised to, then we can put that incident behind us as nothing more than a televised hoax."

"Yes…" Mitsuru began, "but what if it's a lie? You know better than anyone, promoters will say anything to have you sign for a fight that draws this much revenue! They're milking the incident which happened with the giant shadow on the flyover!"

Akihiko sighed as he began to argue his point with a restored calm.

"Look… I know you're skeptical, Mitsuru, and believe me when I say that I am too… But we don't have another choice. You don't have to be my second for this match if you don't want to. I'll try and get my coach flown in and-"

"No Akihiko… I'll do it." Mitsuru said remorsefully as she averted her gaze in disappointment.

Her last words were spoken seriously.

"It's just that, I hope it's the rational man I know you can be who has accepted these terms

Not the boxer who'd do anything to carry a belt around his waist."

With her last thoughts finally voiced, Mitsuru left the lobby to leave Akihiko with a faint held back frustration.

Seta was left alone with Akihiko as an awkward silence lingered in the air above them.

Akihiko took a seat, focused in thought.

His mind sharpening under the confines of his silence.

"Hey…" He began, breaking the silence. "This morning when I stood out and watched the rising sun, I noticed something..."

Akihiko turned his head to look outside a sunlit window pane with one hand buried deep in his pocket.

"..Ever notice that the rising sun looks like an eye that never blinks?"

- What do you mean?
(Akihiko's drive lowers)

- Remind you of the champ's gaze? (Requires Expression Lv 5)
(Akihiko's boxing finisher alters)

- You've been hiding your right hand this entire time… (Understanding Lv.4 required)
(Akihiko's drive rises)

Akihiko grinned. "Nothing quite gets past you does it?"

Akihiko pulled out his right hand and somewhat shamefully covered its bruised knuckles with his left.

"I… felt guilty for hitting Junpei during that heated moment yesterday." He stated remorsefully as he gazed down.

"I was training alone, round midnight. Pissed at myself, I didn't quite land my cross counter correctly… My right hand might be fractured. I'm not too sure…"

Akihiko took a deep breath before continuing.

"Still… There ain't a chance in hell I'm letting Mitsuru know this. I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself too."

-I thought you were stronger than that.
(Akihiko's drive significantly rises)

-You still think you can win?
(Akihiko's drive rises slightly)

-I need to tell Mitsuru.
(Akihiko's drive significantly lowers)

"Hmph," Akihiko closed his eyes and leaned back into his chair.

"The odds were six to one; champ's favor. Before this anyway…" Akihiko stated, raising his right hand.

"Calculating the damage… I'd say I can double that handicap now," Akihiko assessed as he got up to his feet.

"Still, twelve to one… Those odds are piss-weak compared to what Junpei faced at the Suzuka Circuit's national championship."

Akihiko picked up his gear for today's match.

"Even after a crash, that bastard still raced his way to second place that day… He still proved he was the best on that track; even if that's not what his prize said."

Akihiko smiled as he walked towards the front door where a helicopter pilot awaited him.

"If I still consider myself his senior, then I'm going to make damn sure I come back with gold. The glint which tells me I'm the best at what I do.
…Standing at heights which Junpei somehow reached before me."

With those final words Akihiko opened the door calmly without turning back to face Seta.

Headed towards the helicopter which awaited him as transport, Akihiko faded into the blinding light outside, ready to face first heat of his blazing road ahead.

-11:35 am-
-On the train.-

As the train gently rocked back and forth in soothing movements, Seta sat beside Yosuke.

Yosuke had been laughing at Seta when he put on the glasses and hat given by Mitsuru to help hide his appearance in public.

Feeling a burn of shame, Seta decided to keep it off until they arrived at the match's venue.

"I'm just pulling your leg, it looks fine bro. You somehow pull it off anyway," Yosuke said as he finally finished having his fun.

"Anyway," Yosuke began again, "the cruise over here from Mitsuru's vacation home sure was nice, huh? Oh maaan! Mitsuru really owns everything… Boats, Helicopters, Katanas and even maids! Maybe I should try to get to know her a little better, you know, and maybe that way-"

"What are you two talking about?" Rise asked casually as she came walking from further down the aisle where the rest of the group sat due to the carriage's limited seating.

"N-nothing!" Yosuke replied awkwardly.

Rise shot him a skeptical look. "Right… Anyway, Listen Seta… Can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

"Hey, hey… You get bolder by the day!" Yosuke snapped at Rise, looking a little annoyed.

But surprisingly, Rise didn't return fire with her usual giddiness.

She simply remained silent as she turned to Seta with a serious gaze.

Seta got up to follow her with mild bewilderment.

She led the way towards the privacy of the compartment between carriages.

Yosuke teased Seta when he was just almost out of earshot,

"Someone's in trooouuuble."

Seta threw back a chocolate bar his way to hit him in the head, but it only made Yosuke laugh with a sense of victory to have provoked a reaction from his generally stoic best friend.

-In the next carriage.-

"Hey…" Rise began somewhat softly as she stared out one of the windows with her arms behind her back.

"…I'm going to get straight to the point," she stated a little sternly.

Seta felt a strange vibe coming from her.

Her usual warmth was absent.

However, the words she said didn't match the coldness.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry," Rise said gently, yet with a feeling of distance. "I've been disrespectful of your relationship with Yukiko…"

You are somewhat confused by her choice of words… How do you wish to respond?

- I thought this was a confrontation…
(R.P down 2)

- It never really bothered me.
(R.P down 6)

- Why this change in heart?

Rise smiled wryly as she hesitated to answer honestly.

"Yeah, I saw Yukiko leave her room this morning to make a cup of tea when I decided to go wait in her room to apologize in private for more or less what I'm telling you now… When... I found you in that same room."

Seta didn't know what to say.

Rise looked down, masking her true feelings.

"I honestly didn't know things had gotten that far between you two… Um, congrats! I guess..." She stated half-heartedly.

Rise didn't let Seta speak, it seemed she would get upset if she even heard him say a word in her nearly trembling fragile state.

"Look all I really wanted to say was… I'm moving on. I can be a smarter girl from now on. Find someone who's meant for me and stop getting in the way of my senpais… I'll find someone else who'll return these feelings before they…" Rise's smile faded. "...They go wasted any longer."

Tears began to gather around her eyes.

Embarrassed, she turned around and tried to calm herself.

- Speak up and explain the situation.

- Do nothing.

- Reach out and hold her.

Rise dries her tears with the back of her sleeve.

"Don't get me wrong… I'll still be your friend whenever you need me, OK… So I promise we won't get weird." She said, doing her best to laugh lightly through her sorrow.

Seta looked at her with guilt upon realizing how inattentive and neglectful he had been.

"Hey now! Don't you dare worry about me!" Rise said in an almost maternal tone. "You know, there's this guy I act with, who's asked me out a few times and I've turned him down. He's sweet and caring; the girls at work were getting angry at me for turning him down too… I'm tired of pushing against the tide… I think he deserves a chance."

Suddenly, Rise's seriousness eased ans she broke into a softer complexion as she pulled back her lustrous hair.

"Now come on, let's go back" Rise chuckled. "Before I worry your girlfriend even more."

With a friendly joke that felt unnatural and uncomfortably formal, Seta worried how their interactions would shape from now on.

…!?

A rift has torn between you and Rise.

The Lovers Arcana has frozen.
It will not be able to progress until warmed.
For this to happen, a certain event must occur or a significantly long time elapse.

Lovers Arcana Lv. 10 (Frozen)